Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/12/15

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Special Leica lenses
From: "Dan Honemann" <danh@selectsa.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 16:27:06 -0500

> > best in the Leica line I always wonder how it can be any better than my
> > 28/2.8 M.
>
> I'm a big fan of that lens too. Very unsung and a brilliant performer.

Makes me wonder how the new 28/2 asph will compare.  There is one passage in
Erwin's review (http://www.imx.nl/photosite/leica/mseries/testm/m2-28.html)
that gives me pause:

"The transition from the sharpness plane to the unsharp areas is relatively
smooth, but really out-of-focus areas show the tendency to break up details
in coarse and fuzzypatches. There is a certain harshness in the out of focus
rendition that is typical of modern Leica lenses. It is related to the level
of aberration correction."

I have heard this gripe regarding the new asph 35's as opposed to their
prior versions (and esp. the 1.4 asph; the summicron asph seems to fare a
bit better).

Since one would (presumably) buy the 35/1.4 or the 28/2 asph to use the
extra stop, then it's fair to say the out of focus areas will play a role in
the image.  I begin to wonder with the newer designs if better and better
resolution, edge sharpness, and macro/micro-contrast come at the price of
our beloved "bokeh."

Dan

Replies: Reply from Mark Rabiner <mark@rabiner.cncoffice.com> (Re: [Leica] Special Leica lenses)